Six Lake Cowichan communities are now FireSmart Canada Recognized Communities after an 2017 fire safety education push initiated by the Lake Cowichan mayor and council and the Lake Cowichan Fire Department.
With the help of Lake Cowichan Fire Department and Margaret Symon from Strathcona Forestry, the communities of Brookside Village, Woodland Shore, Sunny Beach Estates, The Slopes, Lambs Hill and Lake Cowichan First Nation have all been recognized.
Each community had a volunteer FireSmart board that was trained and went on to educate others in their community. From there, hazard assessments were done and strategies were developed to cut down the risks.
Mayor Ross Forrest commended Lake Cowichan Fire Department member and Fire Risk Manager Steve Vatcher on his efforts.
“He’s done a great job with it. It’s a good story,” Forrest said. “It’s really great what they’ve done, for sure.”
What’s more, the Town of Lake Cowichan has been awarded a FireSmart Community Protection Achievement Certificate from FireSmart Canada and Partners in Protection, for their work on developing a community wildfire protection plan.
“Getting six neighbourhood communities within a municipality is a real large amount,” Forrest noted. “I think it’s the highest anywhere. We’re really pleased with the participation we’ve had in our community and it makes our community safer.”
The community groups’ certificates and signs will be presented at Town Hall on Thursday, March 29 at 6 p.m.
The FireSmart program was funded by a $10,000 grant from the Union of B.C. Municipality’s Strategic Wildfire Program Initiative for FireSmart Planning.
The public education program has a goal to inform home and property owners about wildfire risks and what can be done to mitigate them. Knowledge is the first step, action to reduce those risks is the second.
sarah.simpson@cowichanvalleycitizen.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
